Mountain Rescue

Operating from the Rescue Centre in Glencoe village, Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team is one of the busiest and the longest established team in Scotland. With typically 60-70 call-outs every year, Glencoe MRT cover a wide geographical area from Rannoch Moor, to the Etive hills, to the Mamores and over into Morven and Ardnamurchan.

The team is made up of dedicated and highly experienced but unpaid volunteers who operate 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, in what are at times extremely harsh and unforgiving conditions.

Despite the fact that the team members are unpaid volunteers, it still costs tens of thousands of pounds every year for the team to operate. A very small part of this funding comes from the Scottish Executive.

However the bulk of the funding comes from fundraising and donations. The running costs of the team run to tens of thousands of pounds each year, and without these donations the team simply would be unable to operate at the current level.

Clachaig Inn has for decades been associated with Scottish mountaineering and the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team. Indeed, the team was formed by Hamish MacInnes at a meeting in the bar at Clachaig in 1962. And over the years since, Clachaig management and staff have contributed to the numbers in the team, from Rory MacDonald through to Ed Daynes, one of the current directors.

To help Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team with their fundraising, Clachaig has now set up a scheme whereby you can donate to team funds without it costing you a single penny. Sign up with easyfundraising or go here for more details.

Deep snow on the roads can make access to the hills a little tricky. The rescue team's 4WD vehicles come into their own in conditions like these.

With the Glen Etive road blocked this is as far as the trucks go.

With poor conditions on the ground and good flying conditions, the use of the RAF and Navy helicopters can be invaluable.

Taking off.

Large alpine scale avalanches are extremely rare in Scotland but in March 2010 several huge slides took place. The crown wall of this one is visible all the way along the ridge, and avalanche debris covered the path into Coire Beith, way below.

Another huge crownwall is seen here in no. 2 gully, just right of the Dinner Time Buttress.

177 coming past with Ossian's Cave in the background.

The Aonach Eagach, and this section near the pinnacles in particular is a rescue 'hot spot' in the glen. Take care and prepare well!

Does what it says on the tin, er.., van.

Try carrying one of thes babies to the top of Stob Coire nan Lochan and you'll soon know about it!

MacInnes Mark 6 (R) and Mark 7 (L) on display at the rescue centre. As you might gather from the name, these stretchers were designed by Glencoe's very own Hamish MacInnes.

Glencoe's rescue team maintains a fairly high profile. Here, Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore, popped in for a chat to discover a little more about the team and to hear of issues such as funding and helicopter cover.

Gearing up and ready to head up the hill. Team members bring their own equipment and the team vans bring the stretchers, other first aid and technical equipment to the scene. It also acts as a coordinating team base.

Most years the team is called to avalanches in the glen. Training sessions such as this are invaluable, especially in the realistic conditions of a blizzard!

Recovering a casualty in a fairly remote spot high in the Mamores. Radio communication back to the team base is virtually non exisitent here.

You don't see these any more. The Wessex was the work horse of SAR, it was eventually replaced by the Sea Kings, which are themselves now due for retiral.

Low on mileage but heavy on use, the team's vans are in need of replacement from time to time. In 2012, Hamish MacInnes and team leader John Grieve accepted this new one from the Order of St John on behalf of the team.

The art of crossing a big gorge when there's no bridge. Heading to the caves above Duror.

Beginning to head underground.

For a 'walk in' cave, there certianly seems to be a bit of climbing involved!